Inventory System and Asset Tracking for the Military
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE
Hickam Air Force base is located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, shares its runways adjacent to Honolulu’s International Airport, and is the Headquarters of the United Pacific Air Force. Consisting of over 2,850 acres and valued at more than $444 million, Hickam Air Force base is a powerful presence of national security for the United States of America.
“As Critical Care Air Transport Team members, we rely on our supplies and equipment to afford us the means to provide for the Air Force when needed. We must have the right supplies and the right amount, as well as know the location these supplies are located. I must have equipment that is maintained and operational,” says Captain John Fowler, Critical Care Air Transport Team (CCATT) IT Consultant and Coordinator at Hickam Air Force Base, US Air Force.
Hundreds of supplies and assets valued at millions of dollars needed to be tracked, all of which had to be at 100% operational readiness as needed. Thus, a powerful Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solutions needed to be implemented that would eliminate task redundancy, save time and money, and improve inventory control.
THE CHALLENGE
Inventory supplies and equipment need to be ready at all times TBurdened with more than 1.8 million dollars of supplies and assets with well over 800 unique items on-hand, there was the need to get a system up and running in an environment with limited capability that provided little logistical support. As important missions approached ever closer and without a way to track over 600 thousand dollars’ worth of supplies
an effective Inventory System would keep track of and make sure inventory was stocked and ready for use; moreover, the Air Force base needed that same system to track equipment that must be maintained on standby at all times.
“I was personally in charge of all inventory tracking, restocking, and maintenance. This was in addition to working full time in an ICU and flying the mission, which left me little time to be a logistician,” says Captain Fowler. “I needed an automated system that would monitor and track all of our equipment, thus freeing me up to do all my other work.”
Our Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solutions also needed to :
-Fulfill government regulations for tracking and managing Inventory and Assets.
-Free up other responsibilities and provide for faster data entry using barcode scanners.
-Improve the security of expensive assets being moved
FINDING A SYSTEM TO FIT THEIR NEEDS
In the search of an Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solution, there are specific aspects of a system that are required for an ideal solution. A prime Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solutions would allow the Air Force Base to have complete control over managing the movement of assets and of making sure inventory was always stocked.
The need was for a robust Inventory and Asset Tracking Solution that would:
-Provide updated information regarding the location, cost, and movement of assets.
-Track both expendable and durable inventory items (expendable items meaning stock inventory; durable items meaning assets)
-Integrate with mobile devices by utilizing barcode scanners.
-Print barcodes and catalogs
-Generate management reports and records for auditing purposes
-Categorize supplies within each bag or location.
-Alert the user when supplies need to be reordered due to low levels.
-Generate configurable reports on the status of inventory levels and asset activities.
“I also wanted a system that would meet federal guidelines regarding the tracking of expendable medical supplies using expiration dates, batch-lot numbers, and serialized numbers,” says Captain Fowler.
GETTING STARTED
After thorough online research of several Inventory Systems, The one of a kind Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solution, displayed all the needed requirements and capabilities, including the functionality with the mobile scanners.
Experts recommended a solution that included:
-An Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solution with mobile licenses and few concurrent users(i.e. users logged in and using the system at the exact same time) online installation and online training
-A few mobile barcoding scanners as well as a barcode printer
-Support that included: phone calls, emails, support web-chat, community support, and screen-sharing technical support.
-Main modules and forensic multi-site capabilities
“I chose ASAP Systems’ Inventory System due to its reputation within the government system, as well as its modular capability and exceptional customer support,” says Captain Fowler.
THE INTERNAL PROCESS
Getting the system up and running was easy, and all objectives were achieved in configuring the system based on the tracking guidelines that need to be met.
“Some items had expirations, some had lots, and some of the supplies were in multiple bags…” says Captain Fowler, “I configured the system to track all of this data and still be able to categorize the supplies within each bag (or location). The system allowed me to label each bag as a location, and furthermore, to track the individual bags’ supply levels.”
THE SOLUTION
Our Asset Management solution provided a complete inventory and asset control system with the ability to view all the equipment in an automated fashion so that he could focus on what is important, like transporting critically ill patients.
Additionally, the established inventory process and the procedure saved time and money by centralizing inventory data collection, tasks, and reporting for quality purposes.
“I could not have done this and all of the other requirements I had without this program… the program is so successful, and I will continue to refer it to multiple departments throughout the Air Force,” says Captain Fowler. “ASAP Systems Inventory System and Asset Tracking monitors and tracks all of our equipment and supplies, and fully automates the process. Thus I am free to do all my other work.”
ELIMINATED TASK REDUNDANCY AND SAVE TIME
Before implementing the convenience of the inventory management, all inventory and assets were manually tracked, taking up time that could be used on other important tasks. After automated his process, this task became less stressful—freeing up valuable time for other significant responsibilities
REPORTING
Using ASAP Systems’ Inventory System and Asset tracking solution easy-to-use and configurable reporting functionality, all statistics to inventory-related projects are successfully distributed through the Air Force base—what was being used, what was expired, usage cost, equipment used versus what was not, how much missions cost in terms of supplies used, stock issued for each mission, and cost of supplies used up. With our Inventory System and Asset tracking solution, configurable reports were generated on all aspects of equipment in an instant and can provide data to whoever requires it.
ALERTS HELP MAINTAIN INVENTORY
Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solution’s built-in alerts helped with reordering inventory and managing assets for significant events occurring in the future. Email and SMS alerts are received when the time to reorder supplies approaches, where the supplies need to go, and how much it will cost in terms of orders and supplies that are expiring. It is very important that all inventory is stocked, located, and ready for important tasks and emergencies in the Air Force ICU. Our Top Rated Inventory System and Asset Tracking Solution fulfills all expectations.
